Unfortunately, they couldn’t find the medicine.
However, Nie Ran had only been switching personalities occasionally, and there hadn’t been any episodes of violent self-harm, so she could still accept it.
After resting in the asylum for one night, the next day, she began to organize the renovation materials.
When she found a renovation company, in addition to having them list out the materials, she also obtained a renovation guide, with each step clearly written on paper.
“The first step, clean the original walls, floors, and doors and windows…”
Ning Xin found a small shovel from the tools she had brought back and started scraping off the old lime on the walls.
Nie Ran also came to help. He was strong, and with one shovel, not only did he scrape off the lime, but he also brought out half of the bricks underneath.
Ning Xin stared in astonishment and hurriedly said, “Be careful! If you accidentally knock down the house, we’ll have to sleep in the wilderness.”
He nodded apologetically and followed her example, patiently and carefully cleaning.
The small building looked small but had quite a bit of area.
Just clearing the walls and floors took them nearly half a month.
During this time, Nie Ran’s personality switched several times, and Ning Xin discovered their respective advantages.
Little Nie was obedient and would do whatever he was told, and he was particularly good at chatting.
Even if she wasn’t interested in talking, he could chatter away by himself for a long time, making him a good companion to pass the time and alleviate loneliness.
Old Nie, silent and reserved, occasionally sharp-tongued, but extremely reliable when it came to work. He had a fast learning ability, and after pondering for a while, he could quickly master things he had never done before, doing them even faster and better than her.
Ning Xin’s wound had healed almost completely, leaving only a faint scar on her shoulder.
Apart from eating and sleeping, all her time was spent on the renovation.
After cleaning the walls and floors, they removed the doors and windows, reinforcing the load-bearing walls and repairing the damaged walls with the materials they had brought back.
Next came installing new doors and windows, painting, and laying the floor.
The two of them seemed to have transformed into laborers. Every day, when they finished work, they were covered in cement and lime, working tirelessly as if in a world of darkness, completely forgetting the passage of time.
After who knew how long, the last set of curtains was finally installed.
Ning Xin pushed open the window and closed the curtains.
A gentle breeze blew in, the sheer fabric fluttering lightly. Sunlight filtered through the pale blue curtains, casting a bluish hue throughout the room, as if sinking into the depths of the sea.
The walls were snowy white, the floor a light grey, and the brand-new doors and windows sparkled. The living room was furnished with a complete set of sofas and coffee tables.
Ning Xin skipped downstairs, from the living room to the kitchen, from the kitchen to the pantry, and finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Wasn’t this her dream home?
Spacious, beautiful, and even a duplex.
And it had actually been realized here.
Nie Ran followed her downstairs, stopping on the last two steps, mocking, “You’re pretty easy to please.”
She opened her eyes, ready to retort, but suddenly burst into laughter so hard that she couldn’t straighten her waist.
He was puzzled, “What’s so funny?”
Ning Xin pushed him into the completely renovated bathroom.
“See for yourself.”
There was a mirror in front of him, reflecting his appearance clearly.
His face was covered in lime, and his clothes were dirty. Due to not trimming for too long, his hair hung down to his shoulders, and his beard had grown out, almost enough to tie a small braid.
With this appearance, if given a broken bowl, he could go begging on the street.
He used to be the ruler of a country, but now he had fallen to such a state.
Ning Xin felt guilty and voluntarily left the bathroom.
“You take a bath first and tidy up properly. I’ll go get you some clothes.”
Without waiting for his response, she closed the door for him and ran off.
Nie Ran frowned, and the homeless man in the mirror frowned too.
He picked up the razor Ning Xin had bought for him at the supermarket, and the razor in the mirror reflected light as well.
There was a large bucket in the corner filled with water, ready for bathing.
He undressed and wet his body, skilfully using the shower gel.
A faint floral scent lingered in the air, and although he was still in purgatory, it was no longer the same purgatory as before.
After Nie Ran finished cleaning up, Ning Xin also took a bath and changed into a small dress she had brought back, feeling refreshed.
The windows were clear, and zombies wandered in the distance.
Half of the goods pile was gone, and they should be able to fit everything into the small building.
Ning Xin ate a piece of chocolate and asked, “Should we go to the next world?”
The Ghost Emperor had mentioned that she could exchange resources in different worlds.
However, resources in this world were too scarce. The most abundant were zombies, but who could she exchange them with? She couldn’t just dig out their kidneys to sell.
There were a few patches of forest, but they all seemed to be worthless trees. After bustling around for a while, the best they could get was some minor gains, which wasn’t worthwhile.
The asylum had been renovated and stocked with supplies.
She was now full of enthusiasm and looking forward to other worlds.
However, Nie Ran seemed uninterested.
“Isn’t this world good enough?”
“It’s fine, but my duty is to expand the asylum and admit more patients. I can’t stay here forever, I’ll have to leave sooner or later.”
His face turned even worse as he walked towards the stairs, leaving her with a cold back.
“Suit yourself.”
“…”
Ning Xin was puzzled, not understanding what had gotten into him again.
Considering all the work he had done to help her during this period, she had prepared a meal for him.
As night fell and there was still no electricity in the house, they relied on candles.
Ning Xin lit more than a dozen candles, inspecting them with satisfaction before going upstairs to call him for dinner.
The door was tightly locked, and muffled sounds came from inside.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Are you feeling unwell? Let me take a look.”
No matter what she said, he ignored her completely. The upstairs was quiet and empty, as if she was the only one left.
Ning Xin started to feel a little angry. She stopped bothering him and decided to eat by herself.
Covering the uneaten food, she picked up the candlestick and returned to her room. With the help of the candlelight, she flipped through a book of jokes.
“Haha, what a fool.”
She laughed and rolled on the bed for a moment. When she glanced at the wall and thought about the person next door, her mood became restless again.
What did he want to do?
She hadn’t provoked him, yet he suddenly turned hostile? What did she do wrong?
Ning Xin decided to confront him now; otherwise, she was sure she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.
But if she went over abruptly, he might not open the door.
She thought for a moment, then started groaning as if in pain, all the way to the door of Nie Ran’s room.
“Ah, it hurts so much! Do you think I’ve been poisoned?”
The door suddenly swung open, revealing Nie Ran standing there like a gatekeeper. However, he didn’t speak, just stared at her intently.
Ning Xin continued to act, reaching out to grab his arm and leaning on him.
“My stomach hurts so much. Can you check my pulse? See what illness I have.”
He pushed her away and started to walk downstairs.
“Where are you going?”
“To get some painkillers.”
She pulled him back, saying there was no need.
Nie Ran looked at her with a sceptical expression. “Are you faking it?”
Ning Xin naturally wouldn’t admit it and immediately changed the subject.
“You didn’t eat dinner. Are you hungry? Let me heat up some food for you.”
He abruptly pulled his hand away and walked into the room, about to close the door.
Quick as lightning, she darted forward, slipping into the room under his arm.
“You need to explain clearly to me what’s going on today. Did I do something wrong?”
“Explain? Why should I?” Nie Ran slammed the door shut and walked toward her, a hint of mockery playing at the corners of his mouth. “Are we on good terms? Why should I explain anything to you? Or are you so foolish to think that by claiming the laughable title of ‘director,’ you can make me bow down to you and obey you?”
He was acting too out of character. Ning Xin asked in astonishment, “What’s wrong with you?”
Could his condition have worsened, causing another personality split? But it didn’t seem like it.
Nie Ran didn’t answer, just stared at her without blinking, his gaze incredibly unsettling.
Ning Xin didn’t dare to get too close to him and began to step backward, eventually falling onto the bed defencelessly.
With no light in the room, the silver moonlight streamed in through the window, casting her small and helpless figure. Her eyes shimmered with tears, like a helpless rabbit waiting to be slaughtered.
She tried to struggle to get up, but her dress slipped off her shoulders, revealing her pristine skin.
Nie Ran felt a fire igniting inside him, consuming his rationality.
By the time he snapped out of it, the woman was already pinned beneath him, her clothes torn and her skin exposed. She struggled and squirmed beneath him.
“Bastard! Let me go!”
She bit down hard on his arm, and Nie Ran felt a few warm droplets, not his blood, but tears rolling from her eyes.
“Let go of me…”
Initially, Ning Xin cursed and resisted, but it had no effect against his size.
Eventually, exhausted, her voice became hoarse, almost pleading.
Had he lost control again?
He withdrew his hand, hanging his head, wanting to apologize, but she was already overwhelmed with fear, sobbing into the bed.
“Ning…”
Nie Ran barely managed to utter a word before he swayed and collapsed to the ground.
Ning Xin cried for nearly half an hour before she could compose herself.
It was terrifying, more so than when she had been robbed in her own home. This damned Nie Ran!
Regaining some strength, she thought of going to the kitchen to find a knife, just in case he tried anything again.
But as she got off the bed, the culprit was lying unconscious at her feet.
She kicked him a couple of times with no response. After some consideration, she retreated to her own room and locked the door tightly.
Her clothes were torn into rags, her skin covered in red marks, especially around her wrists, almost bruised by his grip.
Ning Xin lay in her bed, occasionally trembling, realizing she had been too careless.
These people were incarcerated in Purgatory for heinous crimes, not exactly benevolent individuals.
She had foolishly believed that as long as there was enough food, she could live a peaceful life, without even preparing a means of self-defence.
What would she do from now on? Could she control Nie Ran?
She felt uncertain, tossing and turning all night without closing her eyes.
As dawn broke, she heard noises from the neighbouring room, indicating that Nie Ran had probably awakened.
Ning Xin stared at the door, a cold fear rising from the depths of her being, burying herself deeper into her blanket.
Footsteps approached the door, and a knocking sound followed.
“Sister…”
Nie Ran’s voice sounded weak. “My head hurts so much.”
Ning Xin stayed hidden in her room for three days, during which Nie Ran’s personality hadn’t switched back.
Initially, he wanted to playfully seek Ning Xin’s attention. However, seeing that she wouldn’t open the door or respond to him, he began to worry.
“Sister, are you inside? Can you please open the door?”
“Sister, do you want some water?”
“Sister, I’m hungry. Shall we cook something together?”
As he spoke, his voice became hoarse due to hunger and weakness, leaning against the door and murmuring, “Sister, are you angry with me?”
In his repeated calls, Ning Xin found the courage to face him again.
On the evening of the third day, she opened the door.
Nie Ran was almost faint from hunger, sitting on the corridor floor with his eyes closed.
Hearing movement, he turned his head and saw her, immediately jumping up with joy.
“Sister, you’re out!”
Ning Xin wore a set of long-sleeved sportswear, covering herself from head to toe, with only her indifferent face visible.
“Yeah.”
“What’s wrong with you? Why wouldn’t you come out or talk to me?”
She didn’t explain and went downstairs to cook rice.
Nie Ran followed closely behind her, determined to get some answers.
Suddenly, she turned around and said, “Let’s call it even, okay?”
“Huh?”
She had offended him once while drunk, even though she didn’t remember, and she felt she needed to take responsibility for her actions.
Nie Ran pretended as if nothing had happened between them, and they were now even.
“I’ll need to go again next month to get your medication,” Ning Xin said as she continued to chop vegetables, causing Nie Ran’s eyes to dim instantly.
For some reason, the primary personality hadn’t switched back for several days, seemingly avoiding her intentionally.
Feeling that there was nothing left to hold onto in this world, Ning Xin was eager to move on to the next task. Therefore, without waiting for him, she discussed with Little Nie and moved all the supplies into the warehouse and empty rooms upstairs.
Sitting hand in hand in the living room, Ning Xin closed her eyes, and countless small bubbles appeared in her mind.
Each bubble represented a different world, shimmering with faint light, surrounded by darkness beyond.
Which one should she choose?
She tried to see the contents inside each bubble, but they were too small to discern anything. So, she chose the one closest to her.
A massive force pulled her in, feeling as though she was falling into a vortex, making her dizzy and nauseous.
When her feet finally touched the ground, she almost collapsed to her knees.
Nie Ran quickly supported her, “Sister, are you okay?”
She retched a few times, shaking her head and trying to stand up straight.
Everything was in order; the asylum had also arrived. The two of them stood in the living room, and although the decorations were the same as before, the light coming in through the window seemed a bit strange.
The sunlight outside was exceptionally bright and radiant, reminiscent of stepping into a scene from a Hayao Miyazaki animation.
This was a new world, and she didn’t know who the protagonist was or what kind of dangers lay hidden within.
Ning Xin handed Nie Ran the Dawnbreaker, while she herself retrieved a large iron rod used during the renovation from the warehouse, determined to assess the situation outside.
The new gate was reinforced, lockable from both inside and outside, made of 8mm thick alloy steel plates. According to the owner’s introduction, not even a charging bull could break through.
She first listened for any sounds from outside while lying on the door, but heard nothing. Then, she pulled back the curtains and peered outside, only to find her vision obstructed by trees, seemingly in the midst of a forest.
Summoning her courage, Ning Xin unlocked the door, but Nie Ran stopped her.
“I’m stronger. I’ll go ahead.”
She looked at him in surprise, but Nie Ran firmly grasped the Dawnbreaker and strode out first.
Afraid of encountering any problems, she followed closely behind.
Outside the small building, towering trees surrounded them, lush and verdant, at least ten meters tall.
The ground was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves, soft and cushiony underfoot, like walking on a carpet.
There were some bushes around, and Ning Xin quickly noticed some bright red fruits, cherry-sized and plump, looking deliciously ripe.
“Great, evidently this place is more resourceful than the previous world.”
There seemed to be no danger around them. The two continued forward, walking for about ten minutes before emerging from the woods.
At the sight of the scenery ahead, they both exclaimed in awe simultaneously.
“So beautiful…”
Before them lay an expanse of boundless fields, roughly estimated to cover hundreds of acres.
The land was devoid of crops, covered instead in various wildflowers, stretching out into a vast sea of flowers, undulating with the breeze, breathtakingly beautiful, akin to a fairy tale.
She couldn’t help but take a few steps forward, bending down to closely examine a flower.
Resembling daisies but slightly larger, they were a shade of light red that was difficult to describe, their petals gracefully unfurling, emitting a charming fragrance.
Ning Xin took a deep breath, completely intoxicated by the scene, almost tempted to lay down then and there, and enjoy a peaceful nap.
Suddenly, Nie Ran called out to her, “Sister, look over there!”
She followed his pointed finger and saw something moving amidst the flowers.
Ning Xin instantly became alert, gripping the iron rod tightly as she joined him to investigate.
As they approached closer to the creature, they could clearly hear the rustling sound it made as it moved.
Holding her breath, she pushed aside the flower branches.
A palm-sized white rabbit lay on the grass, curiously looking at them.
“Oh my, it’s so adorable!”
Ning Xin couldn’t help but pick it up. The little white rabbit was light and soft, so she held it with the utmost care, afraid of accidentally hurting it.
Nie Ran, usually rough around the edges, furrowed his brow.
“How come there’s a rabbit here?”
“This is a field, and it’s quite normal for rabbits to be in fields. It must be here to graze on the grass.”
There were tiny bite marks on the grass, presumably its handiwork.
There were flowers, trees, and rabbits.
Heavens, what kind of perfect world was this? Could it still be considered hell?
Ning Xin held the rabbit and gazed into the distance, trying to discern any details she might have overlooked.
However, her eyes grew tired, and she didn’t notice anything unusual.
It seemed that it truly was as perfect as it appeared.
“Are the people imprisoned in this world you, perhaps? Hm?”
She held the little rabbit up to her face, smiling at it, its adorable red eyes staring back at her.
Nie Ran began to mutter to himself.
“Sister, you don’t seriously want to take it back with us, do you?”
Ning Xin said, “How could that be possible? There’s nothing at home to feed it.”
“But you still…”
“It’s so cute, I can’t resist petting it.”
She found a clear spot and sat down to admire the beautiful scenery.
The little white rabbit wasn’t afraid of people at all. It obediently lay beside her feet, almost getting its fur rubbed off by her constant petting.
Nie Ran, feeling uneasy, circled around nearby several times. Only after confirming there was no danger did he return to Ning Xin’s side, muttering as he sat down.
“This place is really strange.”
Indeed, it was abnormal to find such beauty in hell. But since no danger was found, there was no need to worry anymore.
After sitting for a while, Ning Xin suddenly put down the rabbit and urged him to go home.
Nie Ran thought she was scared and wanted to go back to hide, but to his surprise, as soon as they entered the house, she began bustling about, fetching biscuits, ham sausages, chocolates, along with bottles of drinks and a few books. She also grabbed a parasol and a blanket, dragging him back to the edge of the flower sea.
She spread the blanket on the ground, opened the parasol, and lay down on it, taking a bite of bread smeared with blueberry jam, letting out a contented sigh.
“I’ve wanted to take a long vacation for a very long time.”
But the shop was too busy, and labour was too expensive. She couldn’t bear to hire anyone and even less to close the shop, so she had always been resigned to just thinking about it.
Nie Ran finally understood her intention and lay down on the blanket as well, using his arm as a pillow, resting it behind his head.
“Do you like this kind of place?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s so beautiful, much more beautiful than the city.”
“I heard my mother say that her hometown is also full of flowers, different every season. I really want to go and see it.”
Ning Xin turned her head and looked at him quietly.
He gave a bitter smile.
“You know, it’s been thousands of years now. She’s probably been reincarnated countless times and has long forgotten about me.”
She felt as if she saw herself when she first entered society, lonely and isolated. Unable to resist, she reached out to touch his face.
“I won’t forget you.”
Nie Ran happily rolled over, putting his left hand on her stomach and gently hugging her.
She reflexively remembered that night, her body becoming very stiff.
He sensed something, withdrew his hand tactfully, and turned to eat chocolate.
The time in the new world was similar to the outside world. A few hours later, the sky began to darken.
The two bid farewell to the little white rabbit, packed up their things, and returned to the asylum. Since they had eaten snacks and were quite full, they only cooked a little porridge for dinner.
Nie Ran returned to his room early, while Ning Xin finished bathing and washing clothes, finding a pair of his socks in her washbasin. She carried them upstairs to confront him.
The door was slightly ajar, and she pushed it open and walked in.
“Wash your own socks yourself. Don’t think that by hiding them in my washbasin, I’ll wash them for you. In the future…”
Ning Xin’s voice abruptly stopped as she saw Nie Ran sitting on the bed, watching her warily, hands tightly clutching the blanket.
She asked suspiciously, “What’s that?”
“Nothing!”
“If it’s nothing, why are you covering it? Let me see.”
Ning Xin threw the socks aside and walked over, but Nie Ran suddenly lunged onto the bed.
“I want to sleep now, please leave.”
“…”
Clearly, something was off about his behaviour.
She grabbed his arm. “Get up, what are you hiding?”
Unexpectedly, he began undressing. “I really want to sleep. If you don’t leave, I’ll undress completely.”
Seeing his underwear about to be pulled down, Ning Xin reluctantly stepped out of the room and continued washing clothes.
After washing for a while, she remembered the socks forgotten in his room and couldn’t help but curse.
That boy was acting suspiciously. What was he up to?
After finishing her nightly routine, Ning Xin returned to the second floor, but Nie Ran’s room door was already locked from the inside.
She entered her own room, pressed her ear against the wall, and listened for a while, but heard nothing.
She shrugged, climbed into bed, thinking about her plans for the next day, and gradually fell asleep.
In the deep of the night, all was silent.
The moon shone like a jade plate, illuminating the earth, while trees swayed, casting dense shadows.
Faint lights flickered in the flower sea, resembling dancing fireflies.
Suddenly, a flower branch seemed to come to life, thickening and growing, wriggling as it spread towards the distance.
Many flower branches began to wriggle, all heading in the same direction, towards the woods.
The large trees uprooted themselves, shaking off their dry leaves, becoming giants walking in the night.
Many small animals emerged from the flower sea: rabbits, field mice, foxes.
The faint lights converged on them, their bodies quickly growing, fur becoming thick and coarse, until they reached a height of about two meters, with muscular bodies and sharp claws and teeth.
All the flower branches, animals, and trees gathered outside the small building, surrounding it tightly.
In the bedroom, Ning Xin slept soundly, while a blood-red eye pressed against the glass, blinking rapidly.
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